


Timing Is Key

by Ylevihs



Series: How Not to Fall [7]
Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén, Fallen Hero: Rebirth (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, mild retribution spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 04:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18402779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ylevihs/pseuds/Ylevihs
Summary: Richard knows that it's almost time.





	Timing Is Key

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr

The afternoon was turning out to be absurdly pleasant. All sunshine and lemonade shandy.

Daniel’s thoughts were lazy, buzzing along like fat bumblebees drifting on the breeze. They’d finished their lunch about half an hour ago, sandwiches from a little Jewish deli where the man behind the counter had smiled and chatted with Daniel. And Daniel had introduced Richard as his sparring partner and the man behind the counter’s mind hadn’t gone where Richard feared it might. Had taken Daniel at his word and smiled and wrapped their food to go.

The breeze was warm and smelled faintly of hot earth and car smog and, because of how they were seated, Daniel’s shampoo. 

A little worm of anxiety burrowed into the apple of Richard’s heart, whispering that things were going to go wrong. Something _had_ to go wrong. At best there would be another villain attacking somewhere in the city and Daniel would have to leave. Someone in the park would recognize Herald and come over because they were a fan and Richard would have to bail. The Media, Richard’s distaste for them earned them a capital letter in his mind, would swoop in with a hot tip that the Ranger’s Golden Boy was passing time with a guy who looked and acted like a disgruntled shift manager.

Spoon might show up, which was never a bad thing but he always showed up with that other guy, which was frequently a. Not a really bad thing, per se. Just usually an awkward thing. Richard had never hated Chen and more and more now it seemed that Wei Chen had never really hated him back. It was difficult information to process. Unwelcome and bearing with it clunky luggage.

Did they. Hm.

Were they starting to become friends? Richard picked at the notion like a bad scab. No. No, not in so many words, but. They weren’t enemies either, not Richard and Chen. Steel and Mad Dog had yet to come to blows and the thought of how that fight might play out made something sinister sing in Richard’s veins.

Ortega might show up and all of Richard’s blood turned icy hot with that thought. He’d have that smug grin plastered on his face, eyebrows almost up to his hairline at the sight of Richard sitting cross legged on a small checkered blanket. Next to the remains of a packed lunch and an empty beer or two. Daniel reclining, shoulders in Richard’s lap and head on his stomach, doodling idly in a sketchpad. Ortega would have a field day. Cooing at them, all teasing words and winks and little smiles. Jokes and encouragement. 

Richard almost shook his head, as if the motion could help dislodge the thoughts about his friend, and thought better of it. He didn’t want to jostle the man in his lap if he could help it. 

“It really is a beautiful day,” Daniel had said earlier, taking in the view of the cloudless sky. They’d decided to spar together in the morning, with the shy and unspoken knowledge that they could use the cool down period to enjoy each other’s company and still have most of a day ahead of them. “We should go out somewhere,” and Richard hadn’t responded, waiting for Daniel to vocalize the hot summer thoughts flittering around his head. “We…we could spend the afternoon in the park,” he continued, excited and encouraged by the fact Richard hadn’t immediately shot the idea down. “Have a picnic or something. I know you love to watch the dogs and I could bring my sketchbook and we could. I don’t know,” Daniel trailed, suddenly self conscious because he had seen the way Richard was looking at him. Had he been smiling? Or had he looked nervous? Or. “We could just…sit together?” Like _lovers._

And. Fine. He hadn’t said that part out loud, but he’d thought it. Clear and bright as the skies outside and he’d practically pitched that thought like a baseball through the kitchen window of Richard’s soul.

Richard was finding, with no small amount of exhilarating dread, that he couldn’t say no to anything Daniel asked of him. It was risky for them to be seen together like this. On one hand it could send The Media into a frenzy about Herald’s. Well. _His_. Which wasn’t something the Ranger’s PR team could possibly be excited about handling. On the other hand, it could put Richard out into the limelight. The last place he wanted to be. In that moment, at least. There was a time and place for talking to reporters and it was when there was a thick layer of armor between himself and Miss Ochoa.

They shouldn’t do it. He should have said no.

But Daniel had rubbed his thumb over the back of his hand and called him _Richie,_ and. Ah, beans. Daniel may not have known exactly how easily he could play Richard, but he was certainly starting to figure out the buttons. 

Richard sipped at his beer and tried to ignore that he was absolutely getting a sunburn on the back of his neck. And if things didn’t go wrong? If everything went smoothly and their afternoon stayed hazy and warm?

 _You have to tell him._ Richard hated himself for it, even as he made the final decision that. _Yes. Richard Abekket you have to tell him that you’re the one who. The one who._ How many nights had he stayed up, regretting that Sidestep had never said anything about being a regene to his.

His.

The words ‘his friends’ were hastily swept under a carpet and replaced simply with ‘them.’

He wished he had had the courage to tell them what he was back then. Before. The fact that he _still_ needed to tell them, tell Ortega and, oh, maybe even Chen now? Had settled ugly and slimy over his skin. But. It felt like too much time had passed. The lies he had told nearly a decade ago were the only foundation he could think of for the friendship between himself and Ortega and taking them away now? There would be no coming back from it. Ortega would never. Could never. It would hurt too much, although he hated to admit it. And he did hate to admit that losing Ortega.

Losing him would.

He had to tell Daniel before it got to be too late. The base of their. Relationship? Oh, dear. Richard’s brain stumbled, clipping its shin on a mental coffee table.

Oh. Yes, that’s what this was. They were sleeping together and spending what little spare time they each had together and sometimes in the quiet spaces of the night Richard could almost bring himself to whisper the words. If only to himself.

Okay, so. 

Anyway. The base of it already included the fact that Richard wasn’t human, the biggest wall that Sidestep had thought was keeping him from getting too close had turned out to hardly be a stumbling block for Daniel. Richard was convinced it was because he’d let that cat out the bag as early as he had. If he’d kept it secret for longer? Daniel would be in the same place Ortega had been shoved into. No. The longer he waited the worse it would be, for both of them. Daniel was already.

Already in.

In too deep, was what he was. So was Richard, but it was still early enough. And still fresh enough that when he lost Daniel it wouldn’t destroy him entirely. It _had_ to be, the alternative was unthinkable. He could even probably use it as a springboard to finally make the leap and transition Mad Dog from a tax dollar, public relations nightmare to a true blue killer.

And if Daniel didn’t immediately leave him? Hate him? That’s. That was what the hope was, wasn’t it? Toxic and terrible and deep in the marrow of his bones and maybe Richard could make him understand. If he did it right. If he bookended it with how much he.

How he. 

There was a hand on his elbow. Oh. He’d been clenching his fists? Ah, beans. “Richie? Are you doing okay?” Daniel’s voice cut through the clouds. The angle was awkward but Daniel still managed to fumble his fingers down to take Richard’s hand in his own. He guided the appendage down, around, and pressed a quick, blink and you’d miss it, kiss to his palm and Richard felt his world concentrate down to that pinpoint of contact. 

“Mhmm,” he managed, feeling how Daniel’s concern didn’t waver. “Just thinking,” Daniel’s thoughts shuffled, little flurries of activity before settling back down. Not asking the obvious ‘what about’. At least, not out loud. “I hope it stays nice out,”

Daniel shifted, raising himself up on his elbows and turning and even though Richard knew it was coming, he couldn’t seem to make his body move to avoid it. He let Daniel’s lips meet his own lightly. He did, however, manage to make sure it didn’t linger. They were in public, after all. “I hope so too,” Daniel said with a soft smile and even softer gaze and.

Ah, beans. “I…have something I need to talk to you about. Later tonight,” and Richard felt himself nearly choke on every syllable.

“Later,” Daniel agreed easily, settling back down, pressing in a little tighter to the body behind him, his feelings all tinged with warmth. Safety. And the other thing.


End file.
